Religious Trauma & Group Therapy

Why We Talk About Religious Trauma

Religious trauma is a term that can carry a lot of weight. It might sound intense, unfamiliar, or even off-putting to some. But for many people, it speaks to something they’ve felt deeply—something they may not yet have had the language to name.

In more accessible terms, religious trauma can also look like spiritual harm, adverse religious experiences, or the effects of rigid, high-control religious environments. Whether the experience was acute or chronic, subtle or severe, what matters most is the impact it left.

What Religious Trauma Can Look Like

Religious trauma can show up in many ways—emotionally, mentally, even physically. Some of the common effects include:

• Chronic shame or guilt
• Anxiety and hyper-vigilance
• Difficulty trusting oneself or others
• Perfectionism and a harsh inner critic
• Spiritual confusion or loss of meaning
• Deep emotional injury, betrayal, or loss

These experiences can be difficult to name, let alone process—especially when the source of harm was something you were taught to see as sacred or good.

Why This Matters to Me

I talk about religious trauma not as an outsider, but as someone who has lived it. I’ve known what it’s like to feel overwhelmed, disoriented, and hopeless in the aftermath of spiritual harm. I’ve experienced how deeply confusing and painful it can be to untangle those internalized beliefs or to try to rebuild a sense of self outside a once-dominant system.

But I’ve also experienced something else—healing.

Not through quick fixes or easy answers, but through slow, intentional connection. Through sharing my story with safe, supportive people. Through individual therapy. And especially through the healing container of group therapy, where I've felt seen, heard, and not alone.

As bell hooks once said,

“Rarely, if ever, are any of us healed in isolation. Healing is an act of communion.”

When healing happens in community, something powerful takes place. There’s often a return to hope—a sense that the fear, shame, or spiritual confusion doesn’t have to last forever. And from that place, deeper peace, self-trust, and even a new sense of aliveness can begin to emerge.

A Space for Healing Together

Because of how deeply I believe in this work, I’m creating a therapy group for those recovering from religious trauma or spiritual harm. This group will be a mix of process and support, designed for people who are ready to explore and begin healing the wounds left by rigid, high-control, or damaging religious experiences.

You don’t have to carry this alone. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need a safe place to begin.

If you're curious about the group or wondering if it might be a fit for you, I’d love to hear from you.

Reach out to learn more or schedule a free consultation.

About the Author

Katie Webb is a psychotherapist at Louis Laves-Webb, LCSW, LPC-S & Associates. She works from a relational, psychodynamic, and existential lens, with a special focus on grief, religious trauma, and meaning-making. She’s passionate about creating safe, supportive spaces for people to explore their stories and reconnect with their inner aliveness.